String musical instrument



May 20, 1930. DODSON ET AL 1,759,736

' STRING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 5, 1928 gong d fiodsong d 0 43726; fiodsam INVENTORfi WITNESS:

ATTORN EY Patented May 20, 1930 r 1,759,736

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEONARD DODSON AND JAMES DODSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS STRING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed March 5, 1928. Serial No. 259,234.

This invention relates to certain novel imformed in any desired shape or st le. provements in string musical instruments and Mounted on the upper side of the sound box has for its principal object the provision of 10 adjacent one edge thereof are frets 11 and an improved construction of this character 12 which are disposed in spaced relation to which will be highly efiicient in use and ecothe ends of the sound box. Disposed between 55 nomical in manufacture. the fret 11 and the juxtaposed end of the Another object of our invention is to prosound box, are a plurality of anchoring studs vide a string musical instrument of the char- 13. Disposed between the fret 12 and the acter disclosed in our co-pending application, juxtaposed end of the sound box is an- 10 Serial No. 228315, filed in the United States other group of anchoring studs indicated by co Patent Ofiice on or about October 24, 1927, 14. The studs 13 and 14 are adapted to be which will embody an improved construction arranged in groups in order that the strings wherein it will be possible to obtain half notes 15 which are adapted to be stretched thereor as they are called, chromatic notes. between may be arranged in groups in the 15 A further object of the invention is to manner disclosed in Fig. 1, and these groups provide an improved mounting stud to which of strings embody a note formation such that the strings may be connected and which will when they are manipulated they will produce be arranged such that the strings for the full harmonizing chords to a melody being played and half tones may be attached thereto in 011 the strings which are mounted inamanner 29 a manner well understood in the art. now to be described.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. Mounted on the upper side of the sound The invention consists in the novel combox 10 along the edge opposite to the edge bination and arrangement of parts to be herealong which the strings 15 are mounted are inafter described and claimed. two supporting members 16 and 17 which are 25 The invention will be best understood by adapted to be disposed at an angle to each reference to the accompanying drawings, other so as to form a substantially V-shaped showing the preferred form of construction structure as is disclosed in Fig. 1. Mount and in which: ed on the upper side of the supporting mem- Fig. 1 is a plan view of an instrument embers 16 and 17 on the portion thereof disposed 3O bodying a preferred form of construction for over the sound box 10 are a plurality of our invention; anchoring studs 18 which are mounted in Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the dealignment therealong as clearly illustrated vice as illustrated in Fig. 1; in Fig. 1. By referring to Fig. 2 it may be Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view depicting seen that the anchoring studs 18 are arranged 35 the preferred form of construction for the such that they will gradually increase in 3 mounting stud we employ in our device showheight along the members 16 and 17 and said ing said stud in operative position with the studs gradually increase in height in a distring attached thereto; rection away from the adjoining ends of the Fig. 4 is a erspective detail view of the members 17 and 16. At the end opposite the mounting stu showing said stud in unasjoining ends of the members 16 and 17 a block, sembled position; 19 is mounted which is disposed between Fig. 5is aperspective detail View depicting said members 16 and 17. Mounted on the the manner in which the string is formed block 19 on the upper side thereof are a pluprior to being assembled on the device; and rality of adjustable anchoring studs which Fig. 6is a fragmental detail View substanare arranged in two groups, one of said it. tially similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified groups being adapted to cooperate with the form of construction for my device. anchoring studs 18 on the member 17 and In the drawings, wherein we have illusthe other group of said studs 20 being adapttrated a preferred embodiment of our invened to cooperate with the anchoring studs on v tion, 10 indicates a sound box which may be the member 16. Disposed forwardly of the .directed through the openin 25.

anchoring studs is a fret 21. Mounted on the side of the member 16 is a group of adjustable anchoring studs 22 which are disposed substantially in alignment with the anchoring studs 20 and mounted on the side of the member 17 are a plurality of anchoring studs 23 which are alsodisposed substantially in alignment with the anchoring studs 20.

As is best illustrated in Fig. 4 the studs 18 are screw threaded at the lower end-thereof as indicated at 24 and these studs are adapted to be screw threadedly mounted in openings in the members 16and 17. In the extent of the member 18 and in juxtaposition to the upper end of the screw threads 24 an upwardly inclined opening 25 is provided which extends through the stud 18. On the side-of the stud 18 opposite the lower-most end of the opening 25 and disposed so as-to lie in a plane below the'plane of said opening, a groove 26 is formed. The upper portion of the stud 18 is preferably tapered upwardly, said taper being arranged so that the widest portion thereof is disposed in-the region of the openin 25. The sides of the stud 18 arefluted in the portions into which theopening 25 opensand thisflutedarrangement is preferably arranged such that it increases in width towardthe upper side of the stud 18. In the upper end of the stud 18, two notches or grooves 27 and 28 are provided. On the upper side ofthe' members 16 and 17 in the region in which 'the studs 18 are to be mounted, guide strips such as that indicated by 29 in the drawings, are provided which embody openings therein which are spaced apart predetermined distances and through which the studs 18 are adapted to extend. These guide strips areadapted to bear indicia which areto instruct a novice in playing the device inasmuch as they are marked to denote the note of the scale and if desired, other guide indicia may be provided thereon.

In Fig. 5 we have illustrated the formation of the string which we employ in our device and which is indicated by 80. As is clearly shown in Fig. 5 the string 30 is preferably U-shaped and when said string is disposed in operative position thebight portion 31 thereof is mounted in the notch 26 in the stud 18. The branch portions of-the string are then led around the stud 18 and are then The strings are then led up along through one of the fluted portions in the stud '18 and then are individually directed through the notches 27 and 28. One of the portionsof the strips is directed to the proper one of the anchoring studs 20 and the other of the strings is di rected to the proper one of the anchoring studs 22 or 23. A fret 32 is provided adjacent the anchoring studs 22 and a fret83 is disposed adjacent the anchoring studs 28 and it is apparent that the portion of the string led to these anchoring studs will be directed over these frets. The portion of the string led to the anchoring studs 20 will be directed over the fret 21. After the strings have been mounted individually in the studs 18, the strings are tuned in the manner well understood in the art, the strings extending between the studs 18 and 20 being tuned to the full notes and the strings extending between the studs 18 and '22 and 23 being tuned to the half notes. As is well understood in the art, certain of the notes of the diatonic scale do not harmonize properly with the half notes and these particular notes are an ranged so as toembodyonly one string, that is, the stringis arranged so as to embody only one branch portion. This single string is mounted in a manner substantially similar to the foregoing, the .difl'erenceresiding in the fact that the branch portion which is not continued is looped or knotted so as to prevent its passage back through theopening 25.

The melody is played on the strings 30 by means of a bow or similar instrument. is apparent that since the studs are mounted so as'to gradually increase in height and since the-strings are directed around the rear side thereof, the bow may be very expeditiously advanced from one note to another by sliding acrossthe roundedportions of the strings which is indicated by 3 1 in the drawings. At the same time the bow is moved across the strings 30, thestrings 15 maybemanipulated so as toproduce an accompanying melody. Since half notes can be obtained from the above construction, it is apparent that we have greatly increased the range of the lnstrument.

In Fig. 6 we have depicted the modified formof construction for our invention'wherein we form the members 16 and 17.so as to embody a taper on the upper sidethereof which iisdisposed so that the incline thereof is toward theadjustable anchor'elements as indicated by 35 in the drawings. In this construction the .anchoring'elements are all run into the supporting members 16 and 17 an equal amount and therefore due to the taper onthe upper side thereof, these anchoring elements will automatically be disposed in gradually increasing heightsso asto facilitate the shifting of the bow from one string to another.

It is apparent from the foregoing-that we have provided a construction wherein a comparatively large range of notes may be obtained and inasmuch as we employ but a single string which is securely snubbed and whichembodies branch portions which may be individually tuned, it-is apparent that we have obtained a very simple construction which will be economical in manufacture.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of Variation and modification, Without departing from the spirit of the invention. We therefore, do not wish to be limited to the r precise details of construction set forth but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what 10 we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a stringed musical instrument, a plurality of strings of substantially Ushaped formation, means for anchoring said strings 5 in the bight portions thereof, and means for anchoring the other ends of said strings including frets and adjustable tuning posts whereby said strings may be individually tuned.

2o 2. In a stringed musical instrument, a plurality of substantially U-shaped strings, means for securing the free ends of said strings including frets and tuning posts to which said strings are individually connected, means for securing said strings at the bight portions thereof including anchoring elements disposed in rows, said anchoring elements being arranged so as to be of gradually increasing height along said rows, the

3 anchoring elements of greatest height being disposed toward said frets, said anchoring elements being arranged such that said strings may be directed therearound and secured thereto in such a manner that said strings will pass downwardly along said anchoring elements on the side thereof disposed toward the juxtaposed element of lesser height.

3. In a stringed musical instrument, a sound box, supporting members mounted on the upper end of said sound box in substantially V-shaped formation, anchoring ele ments disposed on the upper side of said supporting members in aligned rows, means for connecting the ends of said supporting members opposite the joining ends thereof, adjustable anchoring elements mounted on said means, other adjustable anchoring elements mounted on the sides of said supporting mem- 5c bers, frets mounted in juxtaposition to said adjustable anchoring elements and disposed to ard said first named anchoring elements,

plurality of substantially U-sh aped strings adapted to have the bight portions thereof connected to said first named anchoring elements and adapted to have one of the branch portions thereof secured to said first named adjustable anchoring elements while the other branch portions thereof are connected to said 1 second mentioned adjustable anchoring elements.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatnres.

LEONARD DODSON. 5 JAMES DODSON. 

